Last year we hosted American Muslim Consumer Conference in New Jersey. In attendance were two Muslims from Hollywood; Kamran Pasha and Faran Tahir. I had the opportunity to meet both of them, what was surprising to know that although both of them have been working in Hollywood for many years, both are from Pakistani origin but they had never met each other before. Next day I picked both of them from the hotel to drop to the airport and during the ride to the airport i enjoyed their conversation of how they were already planning to work together on a script which Kamran Pasha had written and sold to Disney five years ago. The copyright on that script was due to expire and Kamran was looking for an actor who can play the role of Shah Jahan, the script was written on Noor Jahan, wife of Shah Jahan.

I wanted to publish their profile which shows that their hard work and their educational background helped them to achieve the success. Their profile should give a strong message to all the young Muslims who are striving to get in Hollywood.

During the ride back to home i felt good that i was able to connect two Muslims working in Hollywood. May be their collaboration can initiate to portray positive image of Muslims in Hollywood.

Faran Tahir (born February 16, 1963) is an American film and television actor. Faran Tahir was born in Los Angeles, California, where his Pakistani parents had been studying acting and directing at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Growing up in Pakistan, Tahir returned to Los Angeles in 1980. In 1985, he appeared as Bolshintsov in U.C. Berkeley's production of A Month in the Country. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a BA in Theatre before acquiring a graduate degree from Harvard University's Institute for Advanced Theatre Training.

He made his film debut playing Nathoo in the Disney's 1994 live-action version of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. He has since appeared in such films as Picture Perfect (1997), Anywhere But Here (1999), and Charlie Wilson's War (2007). He also played the male lead in the 1999 independent film ABCD. In 2008, Tahir played the role of the villain Raza in the Marvel Comics-based Iron Man. He played Starfleet captain Richard Robau in the 2009 film Star Trek.

Faran Tahir has guest starred on many television series, including Alias, The Practice, Family Law, The Agency, NYPD Blue, Lost, 7th Heaven, The West Wing, JAG, Judging Amy, The D.A., 24, Monk, Justice, Cold Case and Chuck. He also co-starred with Robert Beltran and Chasife Masterson in the 2005 Sci Fi Channel original movie Manticore.


Kamran Pasha is a screenwriter and director.  He recently partnered with Wonderland Sound and Vision, producers of TERMINATATOR: SALVATION, CHARLIE’S ANGELS, THE O.C., CHUCK and SUPERNATURAL, to sell his first television pilot to Warner Brothers.  Previously he served as a writer and producer for NBC’s television series KINGS.  His other credits include serving as writer and producer on NBC’s remake of BIONIC WOMAN, and on Showtime Network’s Golden Globe nominated series SLEEPER CELL, about a Muslim FBI agent who infiltrates a terrorist group.  Kamran directed the short film MIRIAM, which won the Gaia Award at the Moondance Film Festival in 2008.  He is represented by William Morris Endeavor Entertainment and Untitled Entertainment.

Kamran is a published novelist as well.  Simon & Schuster recently published MOTHER OF THE BELIEVERS, a novel showing the rise of Islam from the eyes of Prophet Muhammad’s wife Aisha.  His next novel, SHADOW OF THE SWORDS, follows the conflict between Richard the Lionheart and the Muslim leader Saladin for control of Jerusalem during the Crusades.  And Kamran has also made strides in the video game world.  He recently wrote BLOOD ON THE SAND for Vivendi Universal, the sequel to hip-hop mogul 50 Cent’s bestselling game BULLETPROOF.

Kamran’s career launched when he sold his first feature script to Warner Brothers Pictures, an historical epic on the love story behind the building of the TAJ MAHAL.  He has also adapted the Japanese anime KITE, about a teenage girl who works as an assassin, into an action thriller for Rob Cohen, the director of THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS and THE MUMMY 3.

He is currently writing an epic film entitled THE VOYAGE OF IBN BATTUTA, which follows the adventures of the famous Arab traveler who journeyed to China in the 14th century.  This feature is being financed by the Moroccan government and produced by French production company Forecast Pictures.

Kamran holds a BA and an MBA from Dartmouth, a JD from Cornell Law School, and an MFA from UCLA Film School.  He spent three years as a journalist in New York City, interviewing prominent international figures such as Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, and Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.